title: Antimicrobial resistance in the food chain: a review.
abstract: Antimicrobial resistant zoonotic pathogens present on food constitute a direct risk to public health. Antimicrobial resistance genes in commensal or pathogenic strains form an indirect risk to public health, as they increase the gene pool from which pathogenic bacteria can pick up resistance traits. Food can be contaminated with antimicrobial resistant bacteria and/or antimicrobial resistance genes in several ways. A first way is the presence of antibiotic resistant bacteria on food selected by the use of antibiotics during agricultural production. A second route is the possible presence of resistance genes in bacteria that are intentionally added during the processing of food (starter cultures, probiotics, bioconserving microorganisms and bacteriophages). A last way is through cross-contamination with antimicrobial resistant bacteria during food processing. Raw food products can be consumed without having undergone prior processing or preservation and therefore hold a substantial risk for transfer of antimicrobial resistance to humans, as the eventually present resistant bacteria are not killed. As a consequence, transfer of antimicrobial resistance genes between bacteria after ingestion by humans may occur. Under minimal processing or preservation treatment conditions, sublethally damaged or stressed cells can be maintained in the food, inducing antimicrobial resistance build-up and enhancing the risk of resistance transfer. Food processes that kill bacteria in food products, decrease the risk of transmission of antimicrobial resistance.
authors.affiliation: Directorate Control Policy, Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain, Kruidtuinlaan 55, Brussels 1000, Belgium. claire.verraes@favv.be
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Verraes
authors.forename: Sigrid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Boxstael
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van Meervenne
authors.forename: Els
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van Coillie
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Butaye
authors.forename: Boudewijn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Catry
authors.forename: Marie-Athénaïs
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Schaetzen
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Van Huffel
authors.forename: Hein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Imberechts
authors.forename: Katelijne
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dierick
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Daube
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saegerman
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Block
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dewulf
authors.forename: Lieve
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Herman
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D020387:Food Chain; D005511:Food Handling; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents